It’s pretty common to see patients here at BCW saying that they have a pinched nerve in the neck. And many people will suffer from a pinched nerve at some point of their lives, in any part of the body, but especially in the neck.
A lot of people may think that a pinched nerve in the neck might need a surgical procedure to overcome this situation, this is not always the case.
Then comes the big question: do you know exactly what a pinched nerve is? And more importantly, what causes this and what are the best treatment options?
What is a pinched nerve? How it happen?
A pinched nerve occurs when you put a lot of pressure in one of your nerves in your bones, cartilages, muscles or tendons. It interrupts the nerve ability and function, causing pain and other symptoms.
It can be irritated, being compressed by inflammations or being pinched by other vertebrae in the misaligned spine. And it can occur anywhere in the spine, such as:
- Cervical spine: neck;
- Thoracic spine: upper to mid back;
- Lumbar spine: lower back.
And how/why do pinched nerves happen?
As we said before, as the nerve is compressed by surrounding tissues, a pinched nerve takes place. And some of the most common reasons why people have pinched nerve includes:
- Problems and issues involving weight and obesity;
- Some traumatic injury playing sports or in motor vehicle accident;
- Stress from poor work ergonomics;
- Some athletics hobbies that may lead to pinched nerves.
There are a few conditions that can also lead to pinched nerves, such as Osteoarthritis, Disc Herniation or Protrusions.
You should see your healthcare provider often to help you detect any condition that could relate to a pinched nerve and help you with your treatment plan.
What are the most common symptoms of pinched nerves in the neck?
Here are the most common symptoms for you to recognize when you have a pinched nerve in your neck:
- Intense and sharp pain that goes through your arms and shoulders;
- Numbness or tingling;
- Intense headaches or migraines;
- Burning sensation in the arms, legs or even into the fingers and toes;
- Feeling like certain parts of the body have “fallen asleep”.
So beware of those symptoms and go see a doctor to help you understand what you can do to treat the pain and release your pinched nerve. If you don’t know what doctor you should see, what about booking an appointment with a Chiropractor?
How does Chiropractic Care help with your Pinched Nerve in the Neck?
In most cases, as we said before, the pinched nerve is caused by a misaligned spine related to tissues of the body. Those tissues should not compress the nerves of your body, and if that’s the case, they need to be realigned.
That’s why a chiropractor is the best practitioner to help you with your pinched nerve in the neck! They know how to use manual therapy to adjust your entire body – including your neck – to get your spine aligned once again.
Therefore, the spine and tissues won’t be compressing any nerve anymore, relieving the pain in your neck, back, shoulders and arms.
And Chiropractors address the root of the problem, not only the symptoms itselves. A treatment plan will be traced to help you with your posture and habits, not only to stop your pain.
If you do not get the right treatment, your spine and nerve will continue to be pinched and the condition will actually worsen with time.
So chiropractic care is not only recommended right away, but also as a preventive technique for your pinched nerve.
Get to know our specialists right now! Come visit us here at BCW NYC and make all your pain go away.
